sparkytim
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2010
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Just recovering from a dose of the Flu, NOT the "Man" version. Must have been going down with it on Friday, a real "Bad day at the office"
Started of not to bad, small job for a nice Old boy (misnomer Suffolk term), replacement kitchen lights. Moved on to Wet room 1st Fix for nightmare builder, (rips out baths and disappears for a week), plan changed as usual, he can not understand what the fuss is about when he tells me basin position is moving - just as we are about to fit shower pull switch dead above where it will be. Sore throat, thumping head and the shivers, I let him know just how I am feeling!
In the middle of all this and the mobile goes, " Can you come and sort out my parents electrics, trip wont' reset"
I try and talk him thru the self help routine, (switch off MCBs, reset RCD etc.), " I am very busy, you need to come"
You just can not help some people save themselves some money, so as I have had enough of the Wet room we abandon ship and set off to sought out the tripping problem, via cafe' en-route for a fry up and large Tea, (Fluids a must)
As we pull up another guy is just coming out of the house, " Ah good, its the Ring, but I can't find it" Turns out to be the "handy man/ gardener" , not so handy as it is later revealed.
Elderly couple have had no power to ring since 11 pm the night before, now 12 noon. Could have boiled a kettle from the cooker panel socket (Non Rcd protected).
Problem trip is a RCBO on the ring. Try to reset, nice flash. Looks like a good short on, so here starts the fault finding process and hence why this is in this section if you were wondering.
First thing UN PLUG everything, even before we take the lid off the CU. Find and UNPLUG, + switch off all FCUs.
Try and reset RCBO. Flash bang test, fault still on, looks like it is a wiring fault. (Very often its an appliance and if so you will have cleared the fault)
Right before we touch anything INTEROGATE the client, has any work been done in the house in the last FEW WEEKS?
Any pictures, shelves, been put up etc? No clues forthcoming.
So isolate and remove C U cover. Disconnect Ring from RCBO and test.
Ring Continuity L-L +299 Ohms, N -N 0.70 Ohms, CPC-CPC 1.00 Ohms,
INSULATION RESISTANCE L - N +299 M Ohm, N - E +299 M Ohm, L-E 0.00 M Ohm.
Diagnoses; L- E short AND break in L continuity.
Now to locate. Break the ring at aprox mid point socket and make safe ends (terminate in choc block). Test each leg at mains identify GOOD leg, reconnect to RCBO and turn ON.
Run round all sockets with martindale and identify all GOOD sockets which will be live and all suspect sockets which will be dead. Boil Kettle, need more fluids.
We have now identified where to look next and now pick another socket mid point of the faulty leg and split the ring again. Testing from split we see the fault on one cable towards the first split we made and work out the likely cable route which takes us to a double socket in the lounge between the two.
"Are" the client pipes up "The handy man had a bit of trouble with that one when HE CHANGED THE OTHER SOCKETS"
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Taking a look at "his bit of trouble" had crushed the L to the back of the box, L - E short which had eventually blown L apart to break continuity.
Wago to the rescue, fit new double socket, he had replaced other un switched sockets so we tidy them up as well.
Re test circuit all ok, reconnect, test RCBO, test at sockets, re- plug up appliances and have Tea and cake to celebrate.
I am a RUBBISH gardener I tell the client, Your Gardener is a rubbish Electrician. Tell him I wont be stealing any of his work!
Home to bed, Temp 38.75, Should never have left the house this morning.
Started of not to bad, small job for a nice Old boy (misnomer Suffolk term), replacement kitchen lights. Moved on to Wet room 1st Fix for nightmare builder, (rips out baths and disappears for a week), plan changed as usual, he can not understand what the fuss is about when he tells me basin position is moving - just as we are about to fit shower pull switch dead above where it will be. Sore throat, thumping head and the shivers, I let him know just how I am feeling!
In the middle of all this and the mobile goes, " Can you come and sort out my parents electrics, trip wont' reset"
I try and talk him thru the self help routine, (switch off MCBs, reset RCD etc.), " I am very busy, you need to come"
You just can not help some people save themselves some money, so as I have had enough of the Wet room we abandon ship and set off to sought out the tripping problem, via cafe' en-route for a fry up and large Tea, (Fluids a must)
As we pull up another guy is just coming out of the house, " Ah good, its the Ring, but I can't find it" Turns out to be the "handy man/ gardener" , not so handy as it is later revealed.
Elderly couple have had no power to ring since 11 pm the night before, now 12 noon. Could have boiled a kettle from the cooker panel socket (Non Rcd protected).
Problem trip is a RCBO on the ring. Try to reset, nice flash. Looks like a good short on, so here starts the fault finding process and hence why this is in this section if you were wondering.
First thing UN PLUG everything, even before we take the lid off the CU. Find and UNPLUG, + switch off all FCUs.
Try and reset RCBO. Flash bang test, fault still on, looks like it is a wiring fault. (Very often its an appliance and if so you will have cleared the fault)
Right before we touch anything INTEROGATE the client, has any work been done in the house in the last FEW WEEKS?
Any pictures, shelves, been put up etc? No clues forthcoming.
So isolate and remove C U cover. Disconnect Ring from RCBO and test.
Ring Continuity L-L +299 Ohms, N -N 0.70 Ohms, CPC-CPC 1.00 Ohms,
INSULATION RESISTANCE L - N +299 M Ohm, N - E +299 M Ohm, L-E 0.00 M Ohm.
Diagnoses; L- E short AND break in L continuity.
Now to locate. Break the ring at aprox mid point socket and make safe ends (terminate in choc block). Test each leg at mains identify GOOD leg, reconnect to RCBO and turn ON.
Run round all sockets with martindale and identify all GOOD sockets which will be live and all suspect sockets which will be dead. Boil Kettle, need more fluids.
We have now identified where to look next and now pick another socket mid point of the faulty leg and split the ring again. Testing from split we see the fault on one cable towards the first split we made and work out the likely cable route which takes us to a double socket in the lounge between the two.
"Are" the client pipes up "The handy man had a bit of trouble with that one when HE CHANGED THE OTHER SOCKETS"
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Taking a look at "his bit of trouble" had crushed the L to the back of the box, L - E short which had eventually blown L apart to break continuity.
Wago to the rescue, fit new double socket, he had replaced other un switched sockets so we tidy them up as well.
Re test circuit all ok, reconnect, test RCBO, test at sockets, re- plug up appliances and have Tea and cake to celebrate.
I am a RUBBISH gardener I tell the client, Your Gardener is a rubbish Electrician. Tell him I wont be stealing any of his work!
Home to bed, Temp 38.75, Should never have left the house this morning.
